Tian Qi’s instant victory—the spectating martial artists accepted it.
Su Xiaomo’s victory—the spectating martial artists also accepted it.
But Xiao Ziji, who was regarded as a waste, first took Wang Lie’s elbow strike, then easily flung him away using just one hand—wasn’t this a bit absurd?
One stood on the stage, one lay planted outside it. Very real, not absurd at all.
“May I be announced?” Xiao Ziji looked at the referee.
The referee came to his senses and immediately announced, “First round, fifty-first match, victor: Xiao Ziji!”
The resounding voice transmitted through the venue, pulling the dazed spectators back to reality, their gazes full of disbelief…
“What kind of joke is this? How could a guy with low-grade aptitude and no cultivation defeat Wang Lie at the ninth stage of Meridian Opening!”
“The sun’s rising in the west!”
“Did he use some underhanded method?”
Amid everyone’s questioning, Xiao Ziji walked down from the competition platform. He raised his head to look at Jun Changxiao on the high platform, a brilliant smile appearing on his face.
Sect Master.
This disciple did not disappoint you!
Jun Changxiao, leaning back in his chair, said with satisfaction, “Not bad, not bad.”
Xiao Ziji’s performance was within his expectations. After all, over the course of more than ten days, he had undergone crazy tempering and shed countless drops of sweat. This victory was deserved.
“Ding!”
“Five disciples have advanced to the second round. Epic quest completion rate: 10%. Host receives 20 contribution points.”
“Ding!”
“Sect contribution points: 62/500.”
Jun Changxiao said in surprise, “The reward came already?”
The system said, “Five disciples advancing to the second round exceeds quest failure conditions. It’s judged as preliminary completion of the minimum threshold, so there’s a fixed reward.”
Jun Changxiao rested his chin on his hand and said, “If they all enter the third round, will the completion rate increase further and will there be more rewards?”
“Yes,” the system said.
Jun Changxiao said, “This epic quest is quite interesting.”
“Hm?”
Suddenly, his peripheral vision caught the Xiao Family Grand Elder beside him. Seeing that fellow staring fixedly at Xiao Ziji, the killing intent contained in his gaze was even more intense than before.
Jun Changxiao frowned, thinking to himself, “Dangerous old fellow.”
…
“Grand Elder, how could that kid possibly defeat a competitor at the ninth stage of Meridian Opening!” A Xiao Family elder said incredulously.
“Hmph.”
The Grand Elder said coldly, “This waste must have tempered his physical body.”
Worthy of being one of the Xiao Family’s strong individuals—just from seeing Xiao Ziji withstand the elbow strike and fling Wang Lie away with one hand, he could tell his physical body was very strong.
An elder beside him said disdainfully, “The human body has limits. This time he won by luck. Entering the next round, when he encounters even stronger opponents, he’ll still lose.”
The Grand Elder remained silent, burning with rage.
His earlier displeasure was because Xiao Ziji came to participate in the sect competition, bringing shame to the Xiao Family.
His current displeasure was that he had actually advanced to the second round!
Jun Changxiao had been keeping an eye on the Xiao Family Grand Elder. Seeing the changes in his eyes and the killing intent spreading, he murmured, “If Ziji keeps winning through all obstacles, will this old man die of anger?”
Whether he’d die of anger was hard to say, but one thing was certain—if Xiao Ziji performed very well, it would only deepen the other’s killing intent, even to the point of doing something irrational.
Like… suddenly rushing down and killing him.
“No good, no good.”
Jun Changxiao said, “Must nip this in the bud.”
He took out the modified Desert Eagle, chambered a round with a click, and removed the safety plate on the hammer.
Raising his hand, he stuck up his thumb, closed one eye, and measured the distance between himself and the Xiao Family Grand Elder, saying, “Estimate about 50 meters, within firing range.”
Jun Changxiao crossed his legs, resting the hand holding the gun on the armrest. Although he looked toward the competition platform, he also occasionally kept an eye on the Xiao Family Grand Elder.
Was this guy being too cautious?
Being a bit cautious wasn’t wrong. If that old fellow’s anger got the better of him and he disregarded the sect competition to kill Xiao Ziji, it would be too late to draw the gun—they’d be off to Siberia.
“Eh?”
The Great Red Gate elder said in surprise, “Sect Master Jun, what are you holding in your hand?”
“A toy,” Jun Changxiao said.
The Great Red Gate elder’s fat flesh quivered as he thought to himself, “A dignified sect master still playing with toys—truly contemptible.”
…
Xiao Ziji walked into the winners’ area.
He happened to meet eyes with Xiao Linye from another battle area and saw a trace of surprise in the other’s gaze.
Xiao Ziji paid him no mind. After entering the winners’ area, he closed his eyes to rest and recuperate.
The competitors who had advanced earlier also cast surprised glances, clearly finding it difficult to accept the fact that he had defeated Wang Lie.
Those who found it difficult to accept also included the Xiao Family direct descendants in the spectator stands.
At this moment, the expressions on their faces were ugly to the extreme. After all, they had come to watch Xiao Ziji make a fool of himself, but he had easily advanced!
And he had defeated someone at the ninth stage of Meridian Opening!
Among these seated Xiao Family young direct descendants, the highest cultivation was only the seventh stage of Meridian Opening.
For someone they considered a waste to defeat opponents they couldn’t defeat was definitely a painful blow.
Thinking back to the past, these Xiao Family direct descendants had followed behind calling him “cousin” with every breath, closer than blood brothers, even often shamelessly asking him for martial arts guidance.
Later, when Xiao Ziji’s glory faded, they changed their tune—some avoided him, some kicked him when he was down.
Therefore, the Xiao Family direct descendants naturally didn’t want to see the guy who had become a waste be stronger than themselves, because this would wound their fragile hearts.
They didn’t want to see it, yet they did.
The waste as they regarded him had, before everyone’s eyes, openly and honestly defeated someone at the ninth stage of Meridian Opening.
What was this called?
A slap in the face?
No, no, no—this was like taking a knife and stabbing it into their hearts, stabbing their hearts to pieces!
A slap in the face just hurts the face. What they felt now was heartache.
…
The first round of competition was still continuing. The advancing martial artists sat cross-legged to regulate their breathing and recover their consumed spiritual energy.
The five Tiegu Sect disciples didn’t need to, since they had won without much effort. As for Xiao Ziji, there was even less need—he had no spiritual energy to begin with.
Half an hour later.
The first round of competition completely ended. Those advancing numbered one hundred and twenty-eight.
According to the sect competition regulations, they were redistributed into four battle areas, with thirty-two competitors in each area.
Li Qingyang was assigned to Area A, Su Xiaomo to Area B, Lu Qianqian to Area C, while Tian Qi and Xiao Ziji were both assigned to Area D.
After the division, each area began drawing lots to determine opponents. This was the final draw—according to the sequence, winners would face off accordingly until fighting to become the area’s number one, which would equal entering the final four.
Jun Changxiao murmured, “As long as they can take first place in their battle areas, the epic quest can be considered over-fulfilled.”
The only concern was Area D.
If Tian Qi and Xiao Ziji met prematurely, that would be a bit troublesome.
Fortunately, after the Area D draw, one drew number two, the other drew number thirty-one. Fighting their way through two-into-one, even if they met, it would be in the area finals.
“Second round, first match: Chen Chong versus He Wei!” the Area A referee announced.
The other three battle areas simultaneously heard the referees’ voices. Eight competitors mounted the stages, cupped their hands to each other, and the second round officially began.
Tian Qi, holding the number two token, mounted the Area D competition platform.
His opponent held the number one token and was named Yi Dashi, a competitor with cultivation at the twelfth stage of Meridian Opening.
“Begin!” the referee said.
Yi Dashi, having watched the previous matches, understood Tian Qi’s speed. He immediately took the initiative to charge forward, instantly closing in and launching an airtight attack.